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We all carry around this thing called our identity. I’m not talking about the driver’s license in your wallet. I’m talking about the things that distinguish us to both ourselves and to the world around us. On the surface, they’re simple things like our name and our physical appearance. On another level, there’s where we live, what we do for a living, the members of our family, and our groups of friends. More intimately, people might identify us by our sense of humor, our political beliefs, our likes and dislikes. When we dig all the way down, we find the pieces that might be known only to ourselves. Our dreams, our desires, our secrets. Some people wear the full spectrum of their identity like an open book, while others keep themselves cloaked in mystery. Whatever the recipe that makes you who you are, I can promise you one thing: In order to achieve the outcomes you desire, you must first become the person who is capable of achieving those outcomes. In the words of the great Ty Webb, you’ve got to “Be the ball”. (If you don’t know, that’s a Caddyshack reference and you need to catch up on your pop culture.) (Or maybe I’m just old.)
The point is, whatever outcome you’re looking to create, you must first cultivate the identity that will guarantee that outcome. When we name a vision for ourselves, we are not yet the person who will fulfill that vision. If we were, we'd have no reason to name the vision in the first place because we’d already be there. For example, let’s say you want to be the VP of Human Resources for a Fortune 500 company and you’re currently working at the reception desk. Well, needless to say, you've got work to do. There are skills and talents you need to develop. Simply naming the vision “VP” is not going to be enough to get you into the upper floor suites. You might need to go back to school or enroll in in-house training programs. There may be habits or ways of being you need to leave in the rear view. Ask yourself, Who is the person I need to become that will guarantee the outcome? Do I need to be confident, compassionate and discerning? Do I need to learn how to interview people? Do I need to spend less time scrolling on social media and more time studying?
The same applies to every aspect of your life. Maybe your vision is to run in the Boston Marathon. Great! My first question is going to be, how many miles a day are you running right now? If your answer is, “I do about three laps around the high school track a couple days a week”, then you’ve got some work to do. You’re going to need to develop a nutrition plan and an exercise regimen that’s going to increase your endurance. You might want to do some research and learn strategies that successful runners utilize in their own routines. You should probably sign up for smaller races and work your way up to the big time. In short, if you want to be a marathon runner, you need to create your identity as a marathon runner.
Maybe you sit alone on the couch every night, scrolling through Netflix with a carton of Ben & Jerry’s, and you’re utterly flummoxed as to why you have no social life. Well, I can give you a little hint: couch, Netflix, Ben & Jerry’s. If you have a vision of an active nightlife, surrounded by friends, you have to first cultivate the identity of a social butterfly. What does that look like? I don’t know, my social butterfly prefers to stay in its cocoon. The point is, whatever outcome you want to achieve, you must first become the person who is capable of achieving the outcome. You’ve got to Be the Ball.
Attending our Power Series programs is an excellent way to start your journey toward the identity you want to cultivate. Click HERE to learn more about the Power Series and sign up today!
